Toothbrush handle



Patented Dec. 31, 1940 UNITED ,o STATES 'rooTHRUsH HANDLE Harold E.Gregg, Sebastopol, Calif. Application June 8, 1939, Serial No. 278,158

2 Claims.

This invention relates to toothbrush handles, and has for the primaryobject the provision of a device of this character which will beextremely durable, capable of being easily cleaned to permit the deviceto be kept in a sanitary condition and may be removed from the brushhead whenever desired and will allow the head to be rotated relative tothe handle proper and permit the entire device to be suspended from asupport or hook.

With these and other objects in view, theinvention consists in certainnovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts tobe hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had tothe following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 isa top plan View illustrating a toothbrush and handle constructed inaccordance with my invention and showing a brush head connected thereto.

Figure 2 is a side elevation illustrating the same.

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a side elevation illustrating a connecting and releasingwire removed from the handle proper Figure 6 is a side elevationillustrating the brush head.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the handle is indicated in entiretyby the character 5 and is primarily composed of a tubular member 6provided with a corrugated portion at one end thereof to form a handgrip 1 and extending through the tubular member is a combined atta-chingand releasing wire or member 8.

The wire or member 8 includes a straight portion 9 and end portions Illand II. The portions I0 and II are bent back upon the straight portion9. The portion I I where it joins the straight portion is ofsemicircular shape, as shown at I2, to engage in a groove I3 of aprojection I4 carried by a brush head I5.

The portion I0 extends at an angle to the straight portion 9 and has anoffset portion vI6 defining a shoulder I1. The straight portion 9extends through the tubular member 6 and normally the end portions I0and II have the free ends thereof conned within the tubular member 5, asshown in Figure 3, with the shoulder II abutting one end of the member6. 'I'he end (Cl.306-3)4 Y portions being coniined within the. tubularmember as stated contracts said end portions toward the straight portion9 bringing the semicircular portion I2 in a tight gripping relation withthe semicircular portion I2 in a tight gripping relation with theextension I4 of the brush head I5 preventing the brush head from havingrelative movement with .respect to the handle. When it is desired torelease the brush head for rotation or removal, the end portion I0 iscontracted to disengage the shoulder Il from the end of the tubularmember whence the latter may be slid over the end portion I0V to freethe end portion II permitting the brush head to be removed or rotatedrelative to the handle.

Normally when the brush head is fastened tothe handle the portion I0denes a loop for the purpose of receiving a hook or like support so thatthe device may be suspended therefrom.

It is preferable that the member 6 be of a shape as shown in crosssection in Figure 4. The brush head may be constructed of any materialsuitable for the purpose and has secured thereto a plurality of tufts ofbristles I9.

A handle of the character described and shown in the drawing can beeconomically manufactured and sold at a low cost and will provide anextremely durable device and one which will in all probability outlive anumber of brush heads and due to its construction the brush heads may beremoved when worn and replaced by another or the brush head can beeasily removed from the handle for cleansing purposes and also due tothe handle construction the Various parts thereof may be readilydisassembled to permit cleaning, consequently permitting the entiredevice to be kept in a highly sanitary condition.

While this invention has been described and shown for use ontoothbrushes it is to be understood that this handle is readilyadaptable to other types of brushes used for purposes other thancleaning teeth.

It is believed that the foregoing description, when taken in connectionwith the drawing will fully set forth the construction and advantages ofthis invention to those skilled in thekart to which such a devicerelates, so that further detailed description will not be required.

What I claim is:

1. A handle of the class described comprising an elongated tube, aresilient strip passing through the tube and having its ends bent toform substantially U-shaped loops, said loops extending in oppositedirections with ,the free limbs of the loops entering end portions ofthe tube with the major portions of the loops projecting from the endsof the tube, one loop forming a clamp to hold an article at one end ofthe tube and the free limb of the other loop having a short inwardlyextending portion intermediate its ends which extends at substantiallyright angles to the other portions of said free limb and said rightangular extending portion forming a shoulder for engaging a portion ofthe adjacent end ofthe tube'for holding the free limb of the other loopin* the tube, said shoulder-forming portion being disengaged from theend of the tube when the free limb carrying the shoulj-4 f der portionis pressed inwardly, to permit the strip to be moved to a position torelease -theclamping action of the other loop. Y

2. A handle of the class described comprising an elongated tube, aresilient strip passing f through the tube and having its ends `bent'toYform substantially U-shaped loops, said loops extending in` oppositedirections with the free limbs" of the 'loopsiente'ring end portionsofthe tube with the major portions of the loops projecting from the endsof the tube, one loop forming a clamp to hold an article at one end ofthe tube and the free limb of the other loop having a short inwardlyextending portion intermediate its ends which extends at substantiallyright angles to the other portions of said free limb and said rightangular extending portion forming a shoulder for engaging a portion ofthe adjacent endof `the tube for holdingthe free limb-of the other loopin the tube, said shoulder forming portion being disengaged from the endofithe tube when the free limb carrying the shoulder portion is pressedinwardly, to permit the stripto be moved to a position to release -V theolampingaction of the other loop, said tube being flattened to make onediameter thereof longer than the other with the loop portions engagingthe side walls of the tube at the longer diameter thereof HAROLD E.GREGG.

